How many of you looked down to check just now? Haha. It is a natural reaction for us women folk!
We worry about a trail of toilet paper on our shoe or a pepper flake on our tooth or crusties on our faces.
We look hurriedly around when we trip and almost land on our face, "Did anyone see me?"
We groan inwardly and shush outwardly when our children actually say what they are thinking...out loud...in public...about anything and everything!
Would we be phased at all...if we heard a person remark, "And she says she is a Christian?" after watching our antics that were out in the open...for all the world to see?!
Oh, give them a break, they were having a bad day! They are just strongly opinionated. They are just so shy. You fill in the excuse...I've used many myself already...they don't hold water!
Now, Kari, you are taking that a little too far, don't you think?
"But...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23. Nope...pretty sure, I'm not...it is in there!
You are being judgmental.
Ok...so, now another question...what would you say in response to that unsaved person who asked this question?
Too judgmental, now? He was calling it like he saw it!
An apple is an apple 'cause it looks like one, tastes like one, grows like one, smells like one!
"By their fruit...you shall know them!"
Hmmm...Am I being too harsh when I say, people don't care/hear only about what you say...they care/watch what you do...day in and day out...and for most...they don't care what you did on Sunday because they saw you in action on the other days of the week.
Can you tell me...why in the world they would want, what we say we have, when they see that kind of behavior on a regular basis from people "who say they are Christians"?
Oh, friends...we've got the "Sunday Show" down pat! Our slips aren't showing and our teeth are clean...but that is just the outside! The "real us" comes out on Monday, Tuesday, oh...maybe not Wednesday so much 'cause that is a church night too...gotta be happy for those kids, Thursday, Friday, and well...on Saturday, yeah, 'cause it is the end of the week...we're tired...and nobody can be perfect all the time!
Next time someone tells you something is wrong with your appearance...stop and consider...what other "in the flesh" flaws are you outwardly demonstrating as a child of God. Because people are watching...and they may have heard about the love of God and they may be starting to understand His holiness and judgment of sin...
And friend, by your "un-Christ-like" actions and attitudes...you may have just destroyed their desire to be one of His children...and they will put it off...and they may never get that chance again!
It matters what you let slip...anywhere...anyhow...
anytime!
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